How to spend a long weekend in the Cotswolds

• Daylesford Organic Farm Shop and the Trough Restaurant

Staying in self-catering accommodation, this shop provided the perfect chance to pick up a range of local goods to create some really tasty meals using ingredients sourced from the area. The quality of the food was on another level, it was so obvious how fresh the food was just by the look alone, but you could really taste it too.

The Trough Restaurant at the Farm Shop has a Michelin 2021 and Sustainable Gastronomy award and the food really reflected that. Again, the food tasted so fresh, and it was clear the specials board rotated and offered a whole range of options based on the seasonal and local ingredients available.

• Diddly Squat Farm Shop

An iconic location for anyone who is a fan of Amazon Prime’s Clarkson’s Farm. The Farm Shop itself offered all the iconic options such as “Bee Juice”, “Hawkstone Lager and Cider” and meats sourced from the farm. There is also a barn which offers hot food and drink options, as well as offering local businesses the chance to sell their goods. I picked up the most unreal Biscoff Gold Filled Cookie from The Cotswold Cookie Company which was unbelievable. Diddly Squat definitely did not disappoint!

• Blenheim Palace and Gardens

A Palace which was home to Winston Churchill and has also been used for so many film sets over the years, it was so interesting to tour and explore both the house and the gardens. There were Bridgerton scene settings set within the house, and as a Harry Potter fan it was very cool to see where one of the key scenes in Order of the Phoenix was filmed. The gardens are immaculate, and the sun was shining which made everything look even more beautiful. The day pass was also converted to an annual pass for no extra charge which is a nice touch!

• Spa at Lakes by Yoo

If you’re looking for some chill time, the spa at Lakes By Yoo is perfect for unwinding and relaxing. The pool, sauna and steam room creates a really calming environment which is exactly what you want. Also, I had a lovely 55 minute full body massage which left me feeling so relaxed.

• Village hopping

Especially on a hit-and-miss weather day, hopping between villages in the car is a great way to explore the area.

First up was Stow-on-the-wold, and for the people with a sweet tooth out there I would definitely recommend a visit to the Cotswolds Chocolate Company and Roly’s Fudge, two shops set within the village’s market squares as part of your exploring. The fudge is freshly made onsite and is the best fudge I’ve ever tasted.

Driving on, two places to see are Upper and Lower Slaughter. The house-spotting alone makes the trip worthwhile. Within Lower Slaughter there also looked to be a lovely pub set on the stream, which I’d definitely try on my next trip.

Ending the village hopping in Bourton-on-the-water, it’s definitely the largest of the places listed, and once you’ve fought your way into the car park, it’s a lovely place to wander around. There are tourist attractions such as the Model Village and Car Museum, but for us it was sitting and taking in the gorgeous setting at …

• Lunch at “The Willow” – Bourton-on-the-water

A very stereotypical English country village setting, with a brass band playing on the green next to the stream which runs through the village, bustling with people exploring the many independent shops on offer. Set opposite a willow tree, “The Willow” offered lovely classic pub food in a gorgeous setting. Perfect for sitting and watching the world go by whilst enjoying some yummy food.

• Cotswolds Distillery

An English distillery known for its whiskies and gins, this was the highlight of the trip for me. For £25, you can experience a tour of the distillery as well as sample as many of the drinks as you’d like within the tour. The tour guide was so knowledgable and the tour was really detailed, yet lighthearted and fun. Any designated drivers get to take a bag of samples away with them so you don’t miss out! I’ve done a few distillery tours and for me this was definitely the one offering the most value for money. There’s also a café on site as well as a very well stocked shop with all the goodies the distillery offers for sale.

Which of the places listed would you most like to visit? Let me know in the comments!